X-ray backscatter imaging devices detect radiation coming back from a target. It is typically used for non-destructive examination applications where only one side of the target is available. The backscatter image can be used to “see” through walls or other barriers. The typical x-ray backscatter imaging utilizes Compton scattering. Compton scattering is a phenomenon of elastic scattering of photons and electrons. Compton x-ray backscatter images are formed by scanning a pencil-shaped beam and detecting the backscatter. A current backscatter technology primarily uses Radiography by Selective Detection (RSD) to generate images. RSD utilizes pencil beam Compton backscatter imaging that falls between highly collimated and uncollimated methods. Single and multiple scatters from the pencil x-ray beam are collected in detectors with collimators set to receive photons from below a plane determined by the desired scanning depth. Images are created by discretely collecting data over an area as the pencil beam rasters back and forth (FIG. 1A). RSD has the benefit of being faster than highly collimated techniques and providing better subsurface resolution than uncollimated methods.